The ALP's highest body, the National Executive, will today examine the status of the Prime Minister's intervention in the New South Wales branch of the party. Kevin Rudd says he has a 'zero tolerance' approach to corruption, but the former New South Wales Labor minister and general secretary John Della Bosca says the reforms don't go far enough.

Transcript

TONY EASTLEY: As Labor absorbs the damning findings of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the party's highest body, the ALP national executive, will today examine what progress has been made in the Prime Minister's attempt to reform the New South Wales branch.

John Della Bosca was a State Labor minister and secretary of the New South Wales ALP. Mr Della Bosca has told AM Kevin Rudd's reforms in New South Wales don't go far enough.

John Della Bosca is speaking here to Lexi Metherell.

JOHN DELLA BOSCA: This underlines that the Prime Minister's reforms and the reforms of those people who want to see the New South Wales branch put on a strong footing again don't go far enough.

There hasn't been any serious culture change, there hasn't been any commitment to democratic outcomes, there hasn't been an appropriate level of scrutiny and independence internally in the processes of the party. So really I think it's about time that the secretary, the administrative committee, all of the key positions of the party were elected by the party's membership.

LEXI METHERELL: When you say there needs to be a culture change, can you give some examples of the kind of bad practices that you're talking about that need to be changed?

JOHN DELLA BOSCA: Look, I think in positions as party officials who are in the place for five minutes and then appoint themselves to the safest Labor Party seats in the country, you know, for a start, I think is a problem.

And the second thing is people appointed to public office, not even elected to public office because of their track record as fund raisers. There's nothing wrong with that except that it invites a sense of corruption or inappropriate process.

LEXI METHERELL: The Prime Minister is giving the rank and file more of a say in electing the leadership. They'll now have 50 per cent of the vote. The other 50 per cent will be held by Caucus. This gives rank and file members a huge amount of power, doesn't it?

JOHN DELLA BOSCA: Well, I think it's an interesting start but I think until the party membership have a say in who actually governs the Labor Party itself, there is no real opportunities for democracy in terms of being a party member.

The rare occasions in which people might have a vote in the party leadership is nothing compared to the many opportunities there are from one year to the next to participate in conferences, to participate in councils and the forums of the party, to make decisions.

And clearly those forums, conferences and others are not democratic, not transparent, need to be reformed. The only way forward is a general rank and file election of all the key positions in the party and perhaps an imposition of the Australian Electoral Commission running internal party ballot.

LEXI METHERELL: It's looking as though Sam Dastyari, the general secretary of the New South Wales ALP, is going to take a spot in the Senate. How much of a problem is it that Upper House seats aren't subject to pre-selection?

JOHN DELLA BOSCA: Look, I think all, I think once you get serious about reform, all the Senate seats and all the Legislative Council seats have to be opened up to rank and file ballot. It's the only way to go forward.

And I think that the current system, as I said of somebody, and this is not a personal thing, no disrespect to Mr Dastyari or anyone else, but the last couple of party secretaries have been in the job for very short periods of time and appointed themselves to, you know, the safest seats in the country and that's just not appropriate. It's not fair and it's part of what means the party membership becomes disillusioned. Regardless of the merits of individual candidates and their personalities, times have changed.

LEXI METHERELL: Some have called you a "faceless man" in the past. Is it easy for you to say these things and call for these reforms now that you're out of the, you know, cut and thrust of everyday political life?

JOHN DELLA BOSCA: Yes it is. And I'd have to say a personal regret is not being as successful as I would have liked to have been with some party reform initiatives or not taking the opportunity on some occasions to reform the party. But the time wasn't right. The time is absolutely essential now.

TONY EASTLEY: The former New South Wales Labor MP and minister John Della Bosca speaking to Lexi Metherell.